Magnetic skyrmions can be used as information carriers in advanced memories, logic gates and computing devices in the future. How to generate skyrmions rapidly in zero field becomes an urgent problem. The application of spin currents will play a major role in promoting the applications of skyrmions in spintronic devices. In this paper, we propose a new mechanism to generate skyrmions by spin currents. A multilayer structure (Pt/Cr2O3/Co/Pt) is designed, where an antiferromagnetic layer (Cr2O3) is inserted into the traditional trilayer structure (Pt/Co/Pt). A spin current generated on the heavy metal layer makes the magnetizations of antiferromagnetic layer oscillate, and then the magnetizations in ferromagnetic layer is driven to oscillate through the interlayer exchange interaction, magnetic skyrmions can be nucleated in Co layer finally. Through this unique combination of spin currents and antiferromagnetic layer, we effectively reduce current density and increase operability, and this application provides more possibilities for future information transmission.
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